Avatar:The Last Airbender  Book 4: Air
by IRapeLlamas
Summary: After five years of rebuilding the world, they face even bigger challenges. Zuko hunts down Jun so they can find his mother. Meanwhile, Katara, Aang, and their mute airbending friend find the lost airbenders. Toph, Sokka and Suki bring down the Rebellion.
1. Chapter 1: The Rebellion

Disclaimer: This product is made for strange and perverted purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Results may vary.

**This disclaimer may not be copied or reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of whoever I stole it from.**

* * *

**Avatar the Last Airbender**

Book 4 – Air

**Chapter 1: The Rebellion**

"_And would you consider conspirators and assassins a problem, Zuko?_

Things had an ugly passion for repeating history. And for driving the sane mad. It was as if it was addicted to chaos and turmoil. After the war, things _had_ gotten a lot better. For five years, Aang and his friends had spent their time re-establishing broken cities and creating new ones (conveniently, some were named after them…_by_ them). Innocent people from all over the world –Ozai had made sure the Fire Nation's 'suspicious' people were put in as well – were pulled out of the torturous hell that was the Fire Nation's prison. Horribly enough, after five years they became aware of a new problem. Within the vast lands of the world, there were few, living among the rest, that were still loyal to Ozai and his plans to take over. They had hope that they could invade the Fire Nation and take the throne. Little by little, the group grew. The winds and tides of change had drifted them apart onto different continents – and still, the groups grew, keeping contact with one another.

And still, they continued to plan – plans that dreamt of defeating the Avatar and his friends, anyone who would stop them. Plans that dreamt of killing Zuko, and taking over his throne.

Ri Tian, who had succeeded after his father died, had taken over as the leader of the clans. He would lead the Rebellion. He would take over the throne.

Seven young people, their faces layered with sweat and exhaustion, sat around a large table, filled to the brim with facts and figures, maps and charts. Sokka stretched out, his long tan arms had grown muscular and mature, then walked to sit by the window. There was a garden beneath, properly _ignored_ for what seemed like years, but still thriving with a few wilting flowers and tangles of weeds.

"The Fire Nation has great taste, Zuko. I love what you've done with the place." He pointed out sarcastically, his eyes drooping with lack of sleep and surplus of irritation.

The Fire Nation's leader sat, head in his hands, muttering to Katara, "…three reasons why a barricade would do better with the Rebellion." Then nodded warily at the direction of his converser's brother, and tried to take in the sentence as a compliment. Mai and Toph sat beside each other, both wearing uniform bored looks on their face. For Mai, it was custom. For Toph, it was genuine. She let out a breath of frustration, "This is getting insane, we haven't slept for days."

Katara raised an eyebrow, "Actually, Toph, we haven't slept for about five hours."

Aang winced, and then muttered reassuringly and somewhat incomprehensibly to Toph, "Still not enough…"

There was also Suki, having just emerged into the room after a practice with the few Kyoshi warriors (including Ty Lee, although Mai had brushed aside the practices as of late, to stay beside Zuko) that had been recruited in the Fire Nation. They'd travel back with her when they went to Kyoshi Island. She'd taken off the makeup, and had dressed in regular Fire Nation clothes, her lips turned down into a frown as she took in the scene before her. "I'm guessing we're still clueless."

"Why is this so hard? Why can't we just bomb them up?" Sokka shrugged, "That's what they always tried to do to us remember? 'Bout time we return the favor."

"Gee. If only we'd thought of that sooner. That's why Snoozles is the boss, eh?" Toph mumbled.

Aang looked at Sokka, his eyes practically gazing in different directions out of absolute frustration and weariness, "We don't know where they are. We've got generalization…"

"And that's not specific enough?" Sokka shrugged. The other six exchanged looks.

"What we need to do is get insider information. But we can't exactly trust anyone." Aang said.

Zuko nodded, "I'll have to go and round up those I know are trustworthy – I'm going to need your help Toph. And you guys. I suppose we could start off the trip-"

"_We_?" Katara raised an eyebrow, "Zuko, you know you can't actually come with us."

"What?" Zuko looked up abruptly, "Uh…_my_ ships, _my_ crew, _my_ mission. Why am _I_ being left out…?" he trailed off.

Mai got up to sit next to Zuko, and placed an arm on his shoulder, "Zuko, the whole journey is way too dangerous for you to hunt them down. They're set out to kill _you_ and invade the Fire Nation –"

"They'd kill you too-"

Sokka looked at Toph, picking her nose and Aang, trying to stop her and Katara, readjusting her hair loops for the tenth time today. "It's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Zuko? Don't you get it?" Toph stood up, her arms strictly by her side, "_Hundreds_ of people are grouping up to take you down. The worst thing you could do is leave your only capable defense-"

"But come on, what's the harm? Guys, what's the _problem_?"

Toph groaned, "And we _repeat_, there are _hundreds_ of people grouping up to take _you_ _down_." Her voice had gotten louder, sterner, untouchably rough like a rock. A really _loud_ rock.

Aang cut in, his eyes stern, as he looked at his older and far more stubborn friend and said,"And would you consider conspirators and assassins a problem, Zuko?"

Zuko shook his head; he wasn't going to do this. He couldn't stand feeling like a coward and having to take the same actions as one was even worse. He needed to do this. It was _his_ kingdom after all. "Five years ago, it didn't matter!"

"Five years ago, we had no choice, and barely anyone helping us."

"They're probably expecting that aren't they?" The six looked at Katara curiously. "They all know that he's here. It's like five years ago…"

"On the Day of Black Sun." recounted Aang.

"Except now, we're on the other side." Suki nodded, walking towards Sokka.

"She's right," Sokka added, continuing, "We need Zuko to get out of the palace."

"But he can't help us with the Rebellion. Either way I think it's pretty pitiful if he couldn't find a loyal enough crew to help him." Katara voiced her words carefully, not wanting to hurt Zuko's ego anymore than it already was.

There were a million things rushing through Zuko's head. _I need to get a haircut. And I need to pee. But this is the abandoned guest house – the toilet's been backed up for months. _Besides that…_I've been searching for my mother for years. I need to find her, I need to find her. Why can't I do anything right? _He'd been beating himself up for months,spending day and night asking himself, _'Where could she be?'_

Ozai had been useless, saying she was probably in the Earth Kingdom. No matter how strained the conversation had become, they could tell – Ozai didn't know because he never cared, never bothered to think about it. She had been in the Earth Kingdom _years_ ago – it seemed people still remembered seeing her. But they didn't know where she'd gone. They didn't know how important she was. Still, Zuko had searched, scoured the cities and towns and drifted villages somberly.

"I'm going to go find her." He said with his golden eyes downcast.

They looked at him. He couldn't see them looking at him, his bangs were casting too dark a shadow. But he could _feel_ them, _sense_ them looking at him. Their suspicious eyes burned holes and he reeled with the pain. Every day, every single day, he lost his mother all over again. Was it possible to continue on like this?

Sokka sighed, "It's been years, Zuko…"

"I haven't been looking in the right places."

"You've looked all over the world." Aang said.

"Then…" Zuko's eyes lit up. He _had_ been looking all over the world. He thought back, five years back, when he felt just like this.

_Aang had left. Aang, their only hope of defeating his father had left. And with Momo, too. Zuko had felt as if someone knocked him over, punching him in the gut. It was the day before Sozin's Comet – and they weren't even ready. _

_The only person who could help them, the only person who would ever help Zuko, was Uncle Iroh. And what had been his first thought then? _Jun_. _

He'd looked all over the world. Just not the right way, "I've been doing it wrong."

"Exactly so-"Mai scrunched up her thin eyebrows, quietly removing her arm from Zuko's shoulder, "So…_what_?"

Zuko glanced at the six, "I've been depending on ships and," he shook his head, "one time an ostrich horse." Actually it had been _the_ ostrich horse, the same one that he and Uncle Iroh had used, properly named _Mako_, after Iroh's once-but-now-long-gone friend. "The point is I've been looking in the right place, the wrong way. I'm going to find Jun, once we're done with this meeting."

"Jun?" Mai asked.

"Jun." Toph nodded her head, approving Zuko's first brilliant plan in five years.

"Jun!" Sokka said, his fist punching the air. The others raised an eyebrow at him, Suki shook her head.

"What?" Sokka shrugged.

"Do you even remember-" Aang started.

"Of course." He nodded his head, "And I suppose it's easier to _ask_ now that I'm not wanted."

"Uh…" The Gaang exchanged looks, hoping he was kidding.

Mai looked sternly at him, almost as if to say, _I want you_. All he had to do was show his face, there would either be praise (he _had_ helped stop the war after all) or there would be people ready to kill him (he _had_ helped stop the war after all). Aang and the others were safer – Aang was the Avatar who had helped restore balance. Zuko was not. It was Zuko who had taken the throne. And now, it was his time to step out.

He looked at Mai, "I'm going to need your help. I think I've got a plan." He looked back at his friends and nodded.

* * *

Toph was fed up. She was sick of it, that's all. Every single second, there was a new problem. Why couldn't the world just _stay_ fixed? She felt like the maid – _like, come on, bitches, I just cleaned up this mess! _She shrugged – though she was alone, and no one was there to confide in – and said, "It could be worse." She grinned, her face resembling the madness of a Cheshire cat's, "I could be Zuko or Aang." She nodded, that would definitely be worse. Not only did Zuko need a haircut but he and Aang were really in a fix.

She was walking along the streets, merchants having opened shop hours ago, all she had to do now was wait and listen for a call from one of them to remind her what it was that she needed. She'd forgotten what Katara had ordered her to buy. Or, rather, she hadn't really listened to begin with. Sure, she'd gotten older over the years – heck, everyone does, it's what's supposed to happen – so it seemed everyone expected she could do the same things they could. Which was good, since that was the effect she'd been hoping for. But, Toph had to admit, she liked being underestimated just a little bit. That way, if she failed, she had a perfect excuse. _Though I never fail_, she assured herself. And when she did things that left people speechless, there was that added pleasure of 'they weren't expecting that'.

She kept walking, her bare dirty feet moving in rhythm with the earth. _Oh great_, she groaned. She was being followed. And it wasn't much of a surprise either. _Why can't he just leave me alone? _He was ten steps behind her now, running to catch up.

She waited for the merchants, ignoring her one-man fanclub.

"Get your peach-oranges-"

"...and rootbeets-"

"fresh sea prunes from-"

Her head bolted upright, walking to the direction of the stand. Why did Katara always have to have this? They had taken Zuko's royal connections to get the best cooks and they'd definitely used them. So why did they have to settle for this? The only people who enjoyed sea prunes were Katara and Sokka. Everyone else hated them – so why couldn't they just…_overthrow_?

She sniffed them to find the ripen ones, feeling them around to find the proper texture. She could sense feet behind her.

_Yep he's here now. Party._

"I'll be taking three of these- oh! Toph, fancy seeing here."

"I'm still shaking from such a surprise." She could feel his smile burning her. Kezon had recently started to annoy her. It was fine at first, she enjoyed having that kind of power over people. But it had started to become devastating, having not enough motivation to drive such an 'innocent' (as stated by Katara) boy to tears. That's not all that Katara had said. She thought back to the 'girl talk' and shivered. _He likes me? Really? I bet he's blind too, poor guy. _

"-and the weather has just been so divi…."he droned on excitedly as if the talk would be fascinating to not only Toph and himself but also the merchants and the townsfolk. _Wait, is he talking to me? Has he been talking all this time?_ She found herself nodding, mumbling a barely comprehensible 'mhm' in his direction. _And…I've been acknowledging him?_ She paused for a second, reveling in the fact that she was really clueless about what was going on. _So confusing._

She felt around for the Fire Nation coins in her pockets, using her advanced tact to make sure she was handing in the designated amount. The merchant faced her, eyes wide, "Miss! You're with the Fire Lord aren't you? And the _Avatar_." Toph nodded, realizing that Mai and Katara would really have it made. The merchant continued, "That means you're the Blind Bandit?"

She nodded again, her hand still outstretched with a mound of coins on it.

The merchant shook his head, "I couldn't, really, you being roy-"

"It's fine. Really." She smiled, "I've got too much change."  
Kezon followed behind her, his black hair lazily in front of his eyes, "You gave him too much you know."

"I'm blind not stupid, Stupid." He winced and she mentally kicked herself. The guy was sensitive, what could she do? But something else had caught her attention. About 60 paces ahead of her, she thought she felt Aang. But it wasn't him. Aang always walked with his arms slightly apart from his body, his steps light and this person seemed to do the same. The person was clinging to the walls though, and their arms were clinging to each other. Toph's eyebrows scrunched together. She wasn't near the person enough to know if she needed help, she couldn't read their heart rate. The person was stopping. And walking away. Toph gasped, she needed to know.

"Wait! Toph!" she spun around.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Err…no…what is it?" she looked over her shoulder, though that didn't really help things, at least she could show him that she needed to go. Someone needed help. Someone was…confusing her.

"Well…I was wondering, if tomorrow, we could…you know – hang ou-"

"YEAH! SURE! Can't wait, gotta go! Bye Kezon!" she ran, basket clutched, bangs pressed against her forehead. _Where was she? She? Where did 'she' come from? It was a she,'_ she decided when she got close enough. It was near impossible to tell because her feet were hardly touching the ground. Toph raised an eyebrow. _That's impossible. Unless she's…._

Toph reached the girl, basket in hand, sweat clinging to her hair. _I must look like a lunatic, _she guessed. The girl's eyes were closed, her heart slowing down. Toph stepped closer, saying, "Hi."

The girl bolted awake, eyes wide, gasping. Toph scratched her head, confused. "Well…heh…hi there. I was, uh, just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by." Toph shrugged. The girl didn't say anything. Her heart had slowed down, she was looking right at Toph. _Why isn't she saying anything?_ Toph thought.

"My name's Toph."

Nothing. Just silence.

"And…I thought you needed help. So, I came over… I can understand if you don't. I just…figured I shouldn't take a chance." Then, suddenly, she felt a hand. She couldn't see anything but she felt two hands grasp hers and shake it.

"You can't talk can you?" the hands went from side to side.

"I can't see." Toph hung her head, as if studying their hands' hold with her useless eyes.

"And you…you can…bend air?" The hands went up and down.

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I don't usually have Author's Notes. This is probably the first and last so do read.

First off, I want to say thanks. Even if you don't review (which is so not okay) at least you got this far with the chapter. Nickelodean is not going to make another season for Avatar: The Last Airbender. The reason I made this is…well…because I hated the fact that they weren't going to make another book. After stalking each and every one of you (heh…) I realized that everyone else wanted another book too. Well here we are.

If you have any suggestions, any at all, or some comments (and…_complaints_?) then tell meh buddy.

**And lastly, I'd like to thank Justthisguyyouknow and his absolutely **_**BRILLIANT (**_you know it's true if I capitalized, bolded, italicized, **and** underlined it…)** fanfiction story (Tokka, which should interest some of you) called 'I'll Walk You Home'. Because of his absolute awesomeness, he agreed that I could steal his whole there are still airbenders thing that's going to appear in the next chapter from him which is admittedly the best thing I've heard in a long time. **

**You won't hear from me anymore – this is probably the only author's note you're going to get from me for a long time. Savor it. **

**But don't forget to review. (I know there are lazy asses there, I can see you Lazy Ass, I'm watching. Review, damn it). **

_**Link to Justthisguyyouknow's profile: **_.net/u/2018625/Justthisguyyouknow

_**Link to Justthisguyyouknow's story 'I'll Walk You Home': **_.net/s/5909101/1/Ill_Walk_You_Home

Click Da Button!

V


	2. Chapter 2: Sunset's Stories

Avatar the Last Airbender

Book 4 – Air

**Chapter 2: The Airbender's Secret**

"_Uncle, we're in danger wherever we go. We've gotten used to it."_

The sun was bleeding crimson red. The streaks of the wound's tears flashed throughout, merging profusely with the amber shades and purple hues that tainted the open heavens. The young woman listened to the scene and took it in. There was something about sunsets that captured the eloquence of nature's peace. Symphonies of chirps from various birds called, the nighttime creatures stirring in their sleep, maddened by the cries of the world awakening them.

"They just never shut up do they?" The man walked up to Suki, shaking his head. Suki rolled her eyes, a hand playing at her hip as she looked at her ex-boyfriend.

"No need to ruin the moment." She said, though a smile tugged the corners of her lip.

"Actually, I think I just enhanced it." Sokka replied, hands clutching the rails of the balcony. It _was_ a beautiful sunset; even he had to admit it. The Fire Nation may not be the country of his preference but their sunsets always seemed to stand out somehow, even though it was the same sun everywhere they went. Their skies were lit ablaze, as if they'd set fire to them. It was a silent explosion that screamed peace – and it was such a beautiful paradox. He stopped breathing for a moment, thinking back to the last time they'd seen a sunset together. Suki was in his arms that time. Now, she was desperately trying to get farther away.

Sokka looked at his friend, "I've missed you."

Suki studied the pattern of the rail, memorizing the intricate design that consisted of only congruent squares. "Yeah." She nodded hesitantly, "I've missed you too." Inside, she hoped he wasn't going to say anything too crucial. She was too tired to take anything in today. Wanting to glance at him, she bit down the urge, crushing her lip against her teeth, relishing in the diverting pain.

She didn't just miss him. _And he knows that_, Suki rolled her eyes.

They were close, Sokka realized. They were pretty close. But the gap of six inches was still way too big. He stood on his toes gently and raised himself up, then scooted to the right, taking little baby toe steps.

"Sokka, I can see you, you know. I know you're trying to get closer." She stuck out an arm; her hand spread apart on Sokka's face, but made no motion to move the hand.

* * *

Katara was pacing out of panic, her eyes scanning the letter absorbing the ink. _No…no it can't be. _Her eyes were starting to leak, her face flushed. _No_, she repeated, chanting the word as if her life depended on it. It seemed as if every time something went wrong, everything else followed with it. She reread the letter, hoping the words had changed from the previous time.

She was caught up in the letter when he walked into the room. He raised an eyebrow, questioning himself on whether or not to intrude. Her back was turned – he couldn't see the tears. She still hadn't heard him come in when he coughed, trying to gain attention. Whipping around, her eyes wide, she looked like a rabbit-deer caught in the basking spotlight of a hunter's torch.

"Katara?" he was doing his best not to groan right then. He had a feeling that this was going to be absolutely dreadful. Sure, Katara was one of the more…he tried to think of the right word…_emotional_, he decided. Yeah, Katara was one of the more emotional girls around here but there had to be a reason as to why she was crying. He silently prayed it wasn't too big of a problem. She couldn't take on any more responsibilities. And, frankly, _he_ couldn't take on any more responsibilities either. His heart reached out for her, hoping she was okay. Katara didn't want him to know – Zuko couldn't take all this thrust onto him.

"Katara, are you okay?" honest empathy found itself dripping from his voice, not used to being used.

"Yeah no. I'm fine. I got something in my eye that's all." She nodded, smiling.

"Then…then what's that?" he pointed to the letter.

"What's what?"

"_That_."

"What's that? Zuko, what are you talking about?"

"_That's_ that." He looked like an angry child, _confused_ and angry about _that_ as well, "The letter. Is that why you were crying?"

"I told you I got something in my eye and the letter-"

"So you're crying from pain? From…getting the letter in your eye?"

She nodded, pressing her lips together to prevent an angry groan. Zuko asked, "Wait…what was the letter doing in your eye?"

"Out!"

Startled and a bit afraid, he left. Not wanting to be the one who told him the bad news, she grabbed the letter in search of Aang. Five years had done well to their relationship. They'd matured and grew up together. They couldn't call each other 'girlfriend and boyfriend' she shook her head. It was just too…_sappy_. It just wasn't enough, considering how much they'd been through. _Wife and husband_? She grinned and blushed at the thought, her eyes finding Aang almost automatically. But she couldn't blame it on her heart – the man attracted a lot of attention. Everyone had an Aang-radar by now. She exhaled, not knowing she was holding her breath.

"Aang." She placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, careful to not speak too loud as he was meditating.

"What's wrong now?" Aang said. Katara raised an eyebrow – was the only time she spoke to people when she had bad news? She frowned and handed him the letter. "It's Uncle Iroh..."

"Oh no." He took the letter from her outstretched hand, his mouth agape. The envelope read 'To My Friends. The Ones Who Will Not Laugh At This' and the letter inside, Aang could tell, was an assistant's penmanship. Iroh must be too weak to write it himself. His brown eyes took in the words, melting at their message.

"He's sick, Aang." Another tear found its way down her tan cheek, following the path of its ancestors. Uncle had been more and more like a father to the group. No, not a father. He was a friend, an ally, a dependent. Toph and Zuko had long been affectionate towards the man, and Aang had received so much advice during those five harsh years that followed. An Era of Reconstruction had been Uncle's idea and plan, and when Sokka was feeling wary of his powers – or lack thereof – it was Uncle that he went to. And Katara sighed, when the anniversary of her mother's death arrived, it was Uncle who had consoled her first. Even Sokka had started to let it go; even Aang was nowhere to be found. He was the one thing that grounded them and now-

"He's dying." Aang whispered.

* * *

"You're dying." He whispered, the light from the lamp was a hypnotically trance. Iroh's eyes followed rhythmically and desperately.

"I'm dying." He repeated, becoming more confident and surer of his words.

Toph looked at the girl through her feet. She was so much like Aang – her feet barely even touching the ground. She knew she wasn't a firebender, they always seemed to strike the ground with their feet, as if challenging the world itself to a combat. Some Earthbenders had a way of moving with the earth.

_She's an airbender. _

_She's…an airbender._

_Oh whoa – she's an airbender!_ Toph chewed a side of her cheek, cocking her head to the side. "I have a few friends I think you'd like to meet." She let the mute girl grip her hand stronger, and they walked.

"It's weird, you know. I kind of depend on people to speak to me so I can know them better." Toph shrugged. She had useless eyes; the girl had a useless throat. But you know what they say, shit happens. Toph's new companion walked almost hesitantly, as if unsure whether or not to follow someone who's eyes knew not where to go. But she did anyways.

* * *

2write2life: Well I appreciate the support, really. And I can totally relate – my head is just a mess of random episodes all mashed together.

Heyimjustrandomlolz: Thank you! And I guess I followed your 'update' advice.

.fire: Ha, yehp, that's true. That comment kind of made it the awesomest review though.

Justthisguyyouknow: Thanks! Yea the whole Mako thing struck me as awfully sad. And how'd you know killing you with humility was my idea all along? Update your story, that's an order.

Clearspring2009: Ha, you should write one! It was an inappropriate cliffhanger, I completely agree. It made no sense if they weren't even going to tell us.

Zuko's broken-bond: I've heard about that – it seems cool but I'd rather see more of our Gaang. And thanks so much! Pshh, I try.

avatarsgirl123: I wanted more romance but I don't want to make it too different from the original ATLA. And Zuko with Jun is ideally perfect but...you'll see.

Heywazzupbuddy: Ha thanks, I just imagined all the characters acting and saying corresponding to what I wrote.

Update plz: Thanks for reviewing – as you can see, I updated. You're welcome :D Sorry it was such a short chapter - I'm working on another story.


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